Scuba tank weight strap

ABSTRACT

A weight strap adapted to be mounted circumferentially about the scuba tank of a diver is disclosed which is specifically designed to permit rapid jettisonning of the same in an emergency situation. The weight strap of the present invention is formed to utilize conventional lead diving weights and includes a resilient strap portion designed to provide tension within the strap and tightly maintain the weight strap about the scuba tank. Opposite ends of the strap are provided with a pair of mating, quick release connectors which by way of a single manual motion, may be separated from one another to selectively release the weight strap from the scuba tank.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to scuba diving gear and moreparticularly, to a scuba weight strap which may be mountedcircumferentially about the scuba tank of a diver.

As is well known, in order to compensate for the natural buoyancy of adiver and the buoyancy of the wet suit typically worn by the diver, itis necessary during a diving application to utilize a weight system topermit the diver to remain submerged at the desired diving depths.Basically, two types of weight systems have been utilized in the priorart, the first comprising a weight belt securable about the waist of thediver and adapted to carry one or more lead weights thereon, and thesecond comprising a lead shot filled pouch or pack mountable to thescuba tank harness and positioned about the lower back of the diver.Although both of these prior art weight systems have proven suitable ingeneral diving applications, they possess inherent deficiencies whichdetract from their overall effectiveness.

The weight belt system, the most commonly utilized in the prior art, hasproven to be excessively restrictive to divers due to its position aboutthe waist of the diver. In addition, the majority of such prior artweight belts have been attached to the diver by way of a buckle andstrap arrangement, which oftentimes is difficult to fasten or removefrom the diver's waist. Further, in view of other diving gear, such as abuoyancy compensator and compressed air tank harness being similarlyattached about the user's waist, the use of such prior art weight beltshas posed a significant safety hazard; since in an emergency situation,the diver may inadvertently jettison the air tank and or buoyancecompensator strap rather than the weight belt itself.

The prior art backpack shot systems, although typically providing a moreviable jettisonning mechanism have generally been comparativelyexpensive and have typically required a particular tank/backpack harnesssystem to be purchased and utilized by the diver. In addition, the useof the lead shots in such systems rather than conventional lead beltweights, has proven inconvenient, typically requiring the diver totransport the heavy weight shots to the desired diving location ratherthan permitting rental of the weights from on-site commercial divingestablishments.

Hence, there exists a substantial need in the art for a low-cost weightsystem which utilizes conventional lead weights, functions withoutunduly restricting the diver's motion, and permits rapid andsafe-guarded jettisonning of the weight system in an emergencysituation.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates theabove-referenced deficiencies associated in the prior art by providingan improved weight system which may be positioned and maintained in acircumferential orientation about the compressed air tank of the scubadiver. More particularly, the weight strap of the present inventioncomprises an elongate strap member which is adapted to receive one ormore conventional lead weights. Opposite ends of the strap member areprovided with a pair of mating, quick-release cnonectors which whenattached together, mount the weight strap about the tank of the diver;and when desired to jettison the weight strap, may be rapidlydisconnected from one another in a single manual motion to release theweight strap from the air tank. The intermediate portion of the elongatestrap member is additionally provided with an resilient, stretchablesection adapted to be placed in moderate tension when the weight strapis attached to the tank and thereby securely maintain the weight strapin a desired location upon the tank.

Due to the weight strap of the present invention being positionedcircumferentially about the compressed air tank, the diver's freedom ofmotion is not impaired or restricted as with the prior art waist beltsystems, and further, the weight strap may be conveniently storeddirectly upon the compressed air tank when not in use. In addition, theuse of the quick-release fasteners in combination with the tank mountinglocation of the weight strap of the present invention, permits the rapidjettisonning of the same in an emergency situation without thepossibility of releasing the other diving gear from the diver.

Further, the tank weight strap of the present invention may bemanufactured at relatively low-cost, and utilize conventional leadweights which permits the user to merely rent lead weights at thedesired diving location rather than transporting the same to the divinglocation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These as well as other features of the present invention become moreapparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional scuba tank and harnessassembly depicting the tank weight strap of the present invention andits preferred location upon the tank;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tank weight strap of the presentinvention removed from the air tank; illustrating its detailedconstruction and the manner in which conventional lead weights may becarried thereon; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the quick-releaseconnectors of the tank weight strap of the present invention,illustrating the manner in which the tank weight strap may be rapidlyjettisoned by the diver in an emergency situation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the tank weight strap 10 of thepresent invention disposed about a conventional scuba tank 12 (i.e., acompressed air tank). As is well known, the tank 12 is typically mountedas by way of a stainless steel ring 14 to a tank harness 16, composed ofa semi-rigid back plate 18 and a pair of straps 20. When worn about theuser (not shown) the plate 18 and tank 12 are positioned about the backof the user and maintained by the pair of straps 20 which extend aboutthe shoulders of the user and are fastened together about the waist ofthe user as by way of a buckle 22. As is well known, a regulator and airhose mouth piece assembly (not shown) is mounted to the tank 12 toprovide breathable air to the user in the diving application. The tankweight strap 10 of the present invention is preferably positioned in acircumferential orientation about the lower portion of the tank 12,between the stainless steel tank mount ring 14 and tank protective endcap 24.

Referring to FIG. 2, the detailed construction of the tank weight belt10 of the present invention may be described. As shown, the strap 10 isformed from a pair of elongate strap members 30 and 32 preferablyfabricated from a nylon-weave fabric material having a width ofapproximately 2 inches. Adjacent ends of the elongate strap members 30and 32 are rigidly connected as by way of adhesive and/or stitching toan intermediate strap portion 34 composed of a resilient material suchas rubber. As will become more apparent infra, the intermediate orcentral strap portion 34 is adapted to be stretched when the tank weightstrap 10 is mounted about the air tank 12, to generate a moderatetensile force within the strap 10 which securely maintains the strap 10in position about the tank 12.

The opposite distal ends of the elongate strap members 30 and 32 areprovided with a pair of end connectors 40 and 42 respectively which arepreferably formed from a resistant material such as stainless steel orplastic. The connectors 40 and 42 are adjustably secured to the strapmembers 30 and 32 by weaving the ends of the strap members 30 and 32through the plural slot-like apertures formed in the end connectors 40and 42. In a similar manner, conventional lead weights 50 may bepositioned upon the elongate strap members 30 and 32 by weaving thestrap members 30 and 32 through the slot-like apertures 52 formed in thelead weights 50. Those skilled in the art will recognize that althoughfor illustration purposes, only two lead weights 50 have been depictedupon the strap portions 30 and 32, fewer or additional weights 50 may bepositioned thereon to accommodate the particular diver and divingapplication. In addition, although in the preferred embodiment, the leadweights 50 comprise conventional hip weights which include a slightconcave inner surface 54 which approximates the curvature of the airtank 12, other conventional flat lead weights may be readilyaccommodated upon the strap sections 30 and 32 of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, it may be seen that the end connectors 40 and 42are formed in a complimentary mating, hinged-like configuration havingplural barrel members 60 formed on their distal ends. The insidediameters 62 of each of the barrel members 60 is sized to be slightlygreater than the outside diameter of an elongate pull pin 64 such thatwhen the end connectors 40 and 42 are desired to be connected together,the barrel members 60 on each of the end connectors 40 and 42 may bevertically aligned and the pull pin 64 may be inserted verticallytherethrough. As will be recognized, due to the end connectors 40 and 42being freely pivotal about the pull pin 64, when positioned about theair tank 12, the end connectors 40 and 42 pivotally conform to and mayapproximate the diameter of the compressed air tank 12.

With the structure defined, the mounting and operation of the tankweight strap 10 of the present invention may be described. Initially,the user must determine the amount of weight desired for the particulardiving application and attach one or more conventional lead weights 50upon the elongate strap members 30 and 32 in the manner previouslydescribed. The tank weight strap 10 may subsequently be preliminarilypositioned about the lower portion of the tank 12, between the tankmounting ring 14 and tank end cap 24. Positioned in such a manner, thelength of the strap portions 30 and 32 may be adjusted to accommodatethe particular circumference size of the tank 12 by threading or weavingthe distal ends of the strap members 30 and 32 through the endconnectors 40 and 42 respectively, such that the overall length of thetank weight strap 10 is slightly less than the circumference of the airtank 12 (i.e., approximately a quarter to one-half inch). The endconnectors 40 and 42 may then be pulled about the circumference of theair tank 12 causing the resilient member portion 34 of the tank weightstrap 10 to moderately stretch and the barrel portions 60 of the endconnectors 40 and 42 may be intermeshed and vertically aligned asdepicted in FIG. 3. The user subsequently inserts the elongate pull pin64 into the aligned apertures 62 of the barrel members 60, therebypivotally interconnecting the end connectors 40 and 42 together. Due tothe moderate stretching of the intermediate strap portion 34, a tensileforce is generated within the weight strap 10 which simultaneouslyapplies a shear force through the barrel sections 60 to the elongatepull pin 64 thereby causing the pin 64 to be retained in position.Additionally, due to the tensile force generated by the resilientintermediate strap portion 34, the tank weight strap 10 along with thelead weights 50 are maintained in the desired position upon thecompressed air tank 12. Hence, the diver may subsequently fasten thetank harness assembly 16 about his body, and utilize the tank weightstrap 10 in an actual diving application without restricting his freedomof motion.

When it is desired to release the tank weight belt 10 from thecompressed air tank 12, as upon confronting an emergency divingsituation, the diver may simply reach behind his back and grasp thecircular handle portion 68 of the elongate pin 64; and in singledownward motion, overcome the shear force acting to retain the pin 64 inposition and pull the elongate pin 64 downward out of engagement withthe barrel members 60. Upon removal of the pull pin 64 from the barrelmembers 60, the tensile force exerted by the intermediate strap portion34 causes the end connectors 40 and 42 to rapidly separate from oneanother wherein the entire tank weight strap 10 along with the leadweights 50 is released from the circumference of the tank 12 and rapidlyjettisoned. Those skilled in the art will recognize that due to the pullpin 64 being located directly upon the compressed air tank 12 ratherthan about the waist of the diver, the single downward manual releasemovement of the pull pin 64 insures that only the tank weight strap 10is jettisoned and not the other diving gear such as the tank harness 16and/or buoyancy compensator (not shown). Thus, the present inventionrenders a significant improvement to the art by providing a relativelylow-cost weight system which is specifically adapted to permitunrestricted diver motion and the jettisoning of the weight strap in anemergency diving situation.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that although in the preferredembodiment particular materials and sizes have been specified herein,modifications to the same may be readily accomplished without departingfrom the spirit of the present invention; and such modifications areclearly contemplated herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An air tank weight strap system for use in scubadiving applications, comprising:a scuba air tank adapted to hold aquantity of breathable air; at least one conventional diving weighthaving an aperture extending therethrough; an elongate flexible strapsized to be positioned and extend about the circumference of said scubaair tank and be inserted through the aperture formed in said at leastone weight to carry said at least one weight thereon, said elongatestrap comprising a pair of end strap portions and an intermediate strapportion, said intermediate strap portion formed of a resilient materialadapted to provide continuous tension in said strap to tightly maintainsaid strap about the circumference of said air tank; a pair of fasteningmembers comprising a mating hinge, each of said fastening members beingmounted to said strap adjacent opposite ends of said strap and adaptedto be interconnected to retain said strap about the circumference ofsaid scuba air tank; and means for selectively interconnecting said pairof fastening members to permit said elongate strap to be rapidlyreleased from said scuba tank.
 2. The weight strap system of claim 1wherein said interconnecting means comprises an elongate memberinsertable within said mating hinge to form a pivot axis for said matinghinge.
 3. The weight strap system of claim 2 wherein said elongatemember is adapted to be manually withdrawn from said mating hinge in asingle manual motion.
 4. The weight strap system of claim 3 wherein saidpair of end portions are formed of a nylon weave material.
 5. The weightstrap system of claim 4 wherein said mating hinge and said elongatemember are formed of a corrosion resistant material.
 6. The weight strapsystem of claim 5 wherein said corrosion resistant material is stainlesssteel.
 7. The weight strap system of claim 6 wherein said intermediateportion is formed of an elastomeric material.
 8. An air tank weightstrap system for use in scuba diving application, comprising:a scuba airtank adapted to hold a quantity of breathable air; at least oneconventional diving weight having an aperture extending therethrough; anelongate flexible strap sized for positioning and extending about thecircumference of said scuba air tank and for insertion through theaperture formed in said at least one weight to carry the weight thereon;a pair of fastening members comprising a mating hinge, each of saidfastening members being mounted to said strap adjacent opposite ends ofsaid strap and adapted to be interconnected to retain said strap aboutthe circumference of said scuba air tank; and means for selectivelyinterconnecting said pair of fastening members to permit said elongatestrap to be rapidly released from said scuba tank.
 9. The weight strapsystem of claim 8 wherein said interconnecting means comprises anelongate member insertable within said mating hinge to form a pivot axisfor said mating hinge.
 10. The weight strap system of claim 9 whereinsaid elongate member is adapted to be manually withdrawn from saidmating hinge in a single manual motion.
 11. The weight strap system ofclaim 10 wherein said pair of end portions are formed of a nylon weavematerial.
 12. The weight strap system of claim 11 wherein said matinghinge and said elongate member are formed of a corrosion resistantmaterial.
 13. The weight strap system of claim 12 wherein said corrosionresistant material is stainless steel.
 14. The weight strap system ofclaim 13 wherein said intermediate portion is formed of an elastomericmaterial.